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On 5 May 2017, MMS observed a crater‐type flux rope on the dawnside tailward magnetopause with fluctuations. The boundary‐normal analysis shows that the fluctuations can be attributed to nonlinear Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) waves. Reconnection signatures such as flow reversals and Joule dissipation were identified at the leading and trailing edges of the flux rope. In particular, strong northward electron jets observed at the trailing edge indicated midlatitude reconnection associated with the 3‐D structure of the KH vortex. The scale size of the flux rope, together with reconnection signatures, strongly supports the interpretation that the flux rope was generated locally by KH vortex‐induced reconnection. The center of the flux rope also displayed signatures of guide‐field reconnection (out‐of‐plane electron jets, parallel electron heating, and Joule dissipation). These signatures indicate that an interface between two interlinked flux tubes was undergoing interaction, causing a local magnetic depression, resulting in an M‐shaped crater flux rope, as supported by reconstruction., Key Points MMS observed a magnetic flux rope formed on the boundary of a nonlinear Kelvin‐Helmholtz (KH) waveBoth in‐plane and midlatitude reconnection associated with the 3‐D structure of the KH vortex‐inducedflux rope were identifiedA current sheet at the flux rope center supported by reconstruction indicates two flux tubes interlinked to form a crater‐type flux rope

The Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft encounter an electron diffusion region (EDR) of asymmetric magnetic reconnection at Earth's magnetopause. The EDR is characterized by agyrotropic electron velocity distributions on both sides of the neutral line. Various types of plasma waves are produced by the magnetic reconnection in and near the EDR. Here we report large-amplitude electron Bernstein waves (EBWs) at the electron-scale boundary of the Hall current reversal. The finite gyroradius effect of the outflow electrons generates the crescent-shaped agyrotropic electron distributions, which drive the EBWs. The EBWs propagate toward the central EDR. The amplitude of the EBWs is sufficiently large to thermalize and diffuse electrons around the EDR. Our analysis shows that the EBWs contribute to the cross-field diffusion of the electron-scale boundary of the Hall current reversal near the EDR.

The recently launched NASA’s Magnetosphere Multiscale (MMS) mission enables investigations of multi-scale phenomena in the reconnection process. Especially, the MMS spacecraft revealed that high-frequency waves of electron time scales exist near the electron diffusion region (EDR) due to complex electron distributions. As such waves are generated near the EDR, they could significantly affect the environment of the EDR via wave-particle interactions. We investigated the September 19, 2015 event when the MMS spacecraft crossed the reconnection exhaust region. The MMS spacecraft observed a parallel electron crescent, which is known to be generated by the cyclotron turning due to the normal magnetic field in the reconnection exhaust region. At the same time, highly discrete waves were observed in the power spectrum of the electric field. The wave frequency ranged between 6 ~ 14 Fce (Fce: electron cyclotron frequency), and the power of perpendicular components was larger than the parallel component. Therefore, they featured electron Bernstein waves. By modeling the parallel electron crescent as a sum of 18 ring-shaped electron distributions, we calculate the linear dispersion relation using a numerical solver. The linear growth rates agreed with the power spectrum of the electric field, which means that the parallel electron crescent locally drove the electron Bernstein waves. Together with previous studies of high-frequency waves, our work could provide a diagram of high-frequency wave distributions in the reconnection geometry.

One of the most important transient phenomena affecting the solar wind-Earth’s magnetosphere coupling is non-steady dayside magnetic reconnection, observationally evidenced by a transient structure consisting of a bipolar magnetic-field component normal to the magnetopause. This signature, termed a flux-transfer-event (FTE), has been recently found to often consist of two interlinked flux tubes. The recent observations, particularly from the MMS spacecraft, showed a reconnecting current sheet between the interlaced flux tubes. However, local kinetic processes between the flux tubes have not been understood in the context of the broader FTE structure and evolution. An FTE observed by MMS on 18 December, 2017 comprised two flux tubes of different topology. One includes field lines with their ends connected to the northern and southern hemispheres while the other includes field lines that are connected to the magnetosheath (and ultimately the Sun). Evidence for reconnection occurring at the interface of the two flux tubes indicates how interacting flux tubes evolve into a flux rope having helical magnetic topology connecting either both to the Earth or being completely open. This study proposes a new aspect of how micro-to-meso-scale dynamics occurring within FTEs determines the macroscale characteristics and evolution of the structures.

For reconnection at the Earth’s day side, which is asymmetric, the main energy conversion occurs on closed field lines in the electron stagnation region. Energy conversion, as measured by J⦁E, occurs where out-of-plane electric field components are embedded within larger regions of out-of-plane current, which is carried by strong electron flows in the M direction of the LMN coordinate system. Bracketing these energy conversion sites are electron jet reversals (along L and -L) and converging electron flows (along N and -N). These electron flows are like those that surround reconnection X lines, however, in these cases they occur completely within closed field lines. The question then is what, if anything, this energy conversion has to do with local reconnection of magnetic field lines. This paper reports on a study of two events observed by MMS on December 29, 2016 and April 15, 2018. The electron inflows have velocities between 0.05 VeA and 0.1 VeA, (VeA = electron Alfvén speed), which are consistent with predicted reconnection rates. Laboratory measurements and 3D simulation results offer some clues about how reconnecting current sheets can evolve in a uniform background magnetic field.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Magnetosphere Multiscale mission reveals that agyrotropic electrons and intense waves are prevalently present in the electron diffusion region. Prompted by two distinct Magnetosphere Multiscale observations, this letter investigates by theoretical means and the properties of agyrotropic electron beam‐plasma instability and explains the origin of different structures in the wave spectra. The difference is owing to the fact that in one instance, a continuous beam mode is excited, while in the other, discrete Bernstein modes are excited, and the excitation of one mode versus the other depends on physical input parameters, which are consistent with observations. Analyses of dispersion relations show that the growing mode becomes discrete when the maximum growth rate is lower than the electron cyclotron frequency. Making use of particle‐in‐cell simulations, we found that the broadening angle Δ in the gyroangle space is also an important factor controlling the growth rate. Ramifications of the present finding are also discussed., Key Points MMS observed two different types of waves near the electron diffusion region (discrete electron Bernstein waves and continuous beam modes)A unified kinetic theory that can explain both types of wave generation is derivedThe condition that the maximum growth rate of instability equals the electron cyclotron frequency is the threshold of transitions

Electron inflow and outflow velocities during magnetic reconnection at and near the dayside magnetopause are measured using satellites from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission. A case study is examined in detail, and three other events with similar behavior are shown, with one of them being a recently published electron-only reconnection event in the magnetosheath. The measured inflow speeds of 200–400 km/s imply dimensionless reconnection rates of 0.05–0.25 when normalized to the relevant electron Alfvén speed, which are within the range of expectations. The outflow speeds are about 1.5–3 times the inflow speeds, which is consistent with theoretical predictions of the aspect ratio of the inner electron diffusion region. A reconnection rate of 0.04 ± 25% was obtained for the case study event using the reconnection electric field as compared to the 0.12 ± 20% rate determined from the inflow velocity. publishedVersion

We report the observation of solar wind‐magnetosphere‐ionosphere interactions using a series of flux transfer events (FTEs) observed by Magnetospheric MultiScale (MMS) mission located near the dayside magnetopause on 18 December 2017. The FTEs were observed to propagate duskward and either southward or slightly northward, as predicted under duskward and southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The Cooling model also predicted a significant dawnward propagation of northward‐moving FTEs. Near the MMS footprint, a series of poleward‐moving auroral forms (PMAFs) occurred almost simultaneously with those FTEs. They propagated poleward and westward, consistent with the modeled FTE propagation. The intervals between FTEs, relatively consistent with those between PMAFs, strongly suggest a one‐to‐one correspondence between the dayside transients and ionospheric responses. The FTEs embedded in continuous reconnection observed by MMS and corresponding PMAFs individually occurred during persistent auroral activity recorded by an all‐sky imager strongly indicate that those FTEs/PMAFs resulted from the temporal modulation of the reconnection rate during continuous reconnection. With the decay of the PMAFs associated with the FTEs, patch‐like plasma density enhancements were detected to form and propagate poleward and then dawnward. Propagation to the dawn was also suggested by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network (SuperDARN) convection and Global Positioning System (GPS) total electron content data. We relate the temporal variation of the driving solar‐wind and magnetospheric mechanism to that of the high‐latitude and polar ionospheric responses and estimate the response time.

Using a two‐dimensional particle‐in‐cell simulation, we investigate the effects and roles of upper‐hybrid waves (UHW) near the electron diffusion region (EDR). The energy dissipation via the wave‐particle interaction in our simulation agrees with J · E′ measured by magnetospheric multiscale (MMS) spacecraft. It means that UHW contributes to the local energy dissipation. As a result of wave‐particle interactions, plasma parameters which determine the larger‐scale energy dissipation in the EDR are changed. The y‐directional current decreases while the pressure tensor Pyz increases/decreases when the agyrotropic beam density is low/high, where (x, y, z)‐coordinates correspond the (L, M, N)‐boundary coordinates. Because the reconnection electric field comes from −∂Pyz/∂z, our result implies that UHW plays an additional role in affecting larger‐scale energy dissipation in the EDR by changing plasma parameters. We provide a simple diagram that shows how the UHW activities change the profiles of plasma parameters near the EDR comparing cases with and without UHW., Key Points Upper‐hybrid waves locally contribute to the energy dissipation in the electron diffusion region via wave‐particle interactionPressure tensors, electric field, and current in the EDR can be changed as a result of upper‐hybrid wave activitiesChanges in the profiles of the plasma parameters can affect larger‐scale energy conversion in the EDR

Plasma and wave measurements from the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale mission are presented for magnetotail reconnection events on 3 July and 11 July 2017. Linear dispersion analyses were performed using distribution functions comprising up to six drifting bi-Maxwellian distributions. In both events electron crescent-shaped distributions are shown to be responsible for upper hybrid waves near the X-line. In an adjacent location within the 3 July event a monodirectional field-aligned electron beam drove parallel-propagating beam-mode waves. In the 11 July event an electron distribution consisting of a drifting core and two crescents was shown to generate upper-hybrid and beam-mode waves at three different frequencies, explaining the observed broadband waves. Multiple harmonics of the upper hybrid waves were observed but cannot be explained by the linear dispersion analysis since they result from nonlinear beam interactions. Plain Language Summary Magnetic reconnection is a process that occurs throughout the universe in ionized gases (plasmas) containing embedded magnetic fields. This process converts magnetic energy to electron and ion energy, causing phenomena such as solar flares and auroras. The NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale mission has shown that in magnetic reconnection regions there are intense electric field oscillations or waves and that electrons form crescent and beam-like populations propagating both along and perpendicular to the magnetic field. This study shows that the observed electron populations are responsible for high-frequency waves including their propagation directions and frequency ranges.

It is well known that the space radiation dose over the polar route should be carefully considered especially when the space weather shows sudden disturbances such as CME and flares. The National Meteorological Satellite Center (NMSC) and Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) recently established a basis for a space radiation service for the public by developing a space radiation prediction model and heliocentric potential (HCP) prediction model. The HCP value is used as a critical input value of the CARI-6 and CARI-6M programs, which estimate the aviation route dose. The CARI-6/6M is the most widely used and confidential program that is officially provided by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The HCP value is given one month late in the FAA official webpage, making it difficult to obtain real-time information on the aviation route dose. In order to overcome this limitation regarding time delay, we developed a HCP prediction model based on the sunspot number variation. In this paper, we focus on the purpose and process of our HCP prediction model development. Finally, we find the highest correlation coefficient of 0.9 between the monthly sunspot number and the HCP value with an eight month time shift.

This paper investigates nonlinear evolutions of large amplitude oblique whistler waves (LOWWs) and the interaction with electrons using one-dimensional electromagnetic kinetic simulations. The present research is motivated by recent studies about the nonlinear phenomena of LOWWs. When the propagation angle is not close to the resonance cone angle, the trapping of electrons in the electric potential of LOWWs leads to a moderate damping and a mild acceleration of the electrons via the O'Neil-type damping. In contrast, when the propagation angle of LOWWs is close to the resonance cone angle, the LOWWs undergo a heavy damping accompanied by the stochastic thermalization of the electrons, especially in the perpendicular direction. It is found that the stochastic parameter S, defined by S=16k∥2(eme)Φ0 |J0(k⊥ρ)|ωce2, is a crucial factor determining the damping process. This result demonstrates the importance of self-consistent electron kinetic effects, which are not included in the previous single-particle or fl...

A self-consistent electrostatic odd-symmetric eigenmode (OEM) is analytically found in a solitary type Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal (BGK) equilibrium. The frequency of the OEM is order of the electron bounce frequency and it is spatially odd-symmetric with the scale comparable to that of the solitary BGK equilibrium structure. Such an OEM is consistent with the recent observation from particle-in-cell simulation of the solitary wave [Dokgo et al., Phys. Plasmas 23, 092107 (2016)]. The mode can be driven unstable by trapped electrons within the hole structure of the solitary wave. Such a low frequency, pure electron mode, which may possibly interact resonantly with the ion acoustic mode, provides a possible damping mechanism of the BGK equilibrium.

A possible formation of an electron hole structure associated with an obliquely propagating solitary kinetic Alfven wave (SKAW) in a strongly magnetized plasma is discussed. It is found that transverse electric field along the magnetic field plays a key role in the electron phase space hole formation. Owing to the presence of trapped electrons, SKAW can propagate in both super-Alfvenic and sub-Alfvenic regimes with different spatial structures. In particular, in the sub-Alfvenic case, the density perturbation possesses a dip at the center accompanied by a pair of humps at the edges. Such a feature may be relevant to satellite observation of solitary structures in the Earth's geomagnetic tail region.

Generation of coherent ion acoustic solitary waves (IASWs) in inhomogeneous plasmas by an odd eigenmode (OEM) of electron holes (EHs) is investigated using 1D electrostatic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. The OEM oscillates at a frequency comparable to the trapped electron bouncing frequency, as also demonstrated by Lewis' theoretical formalism about the linear eigenmode in Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal (BGK) equilibrium. The density gradient in the inhomogeneous plasmas causes asymmetry in the EH potential structure associated with the OEM, whose amplitude grows rapidly as it propagates through the density gradient region. As the ions interact with this asymmetric potential, which oscillates slowly enough for the ions to respond, they are ejected to the lower density side with a larger potential amplitude, forming a chain of IASWs coherently with the oscillation of the OEM.

The perpendicular heating and acceleration of ions by linearly polarized Alfven wave, which is propagating along constant background magnetic field, is studied. The perpendicular diffusion coefficient of ions is calculated through the autocorrelation function based on linear perturbation theory, which unambiguously demonstrates that ion heating is attained by non-resonant wave-particle interaction. It is found that the perpendicular heating and acceleration of ions occur by the Alfven wave during a relatively short time interval, i.e., approximately 20 ion gyro period (Ωi0t) even though the perturbation amplitude is quite low. Also, it is shown that the temperature anisotropy of ions A, where A=T⊥/T∥−1, increases with the increasing perturbation amplitude while the parallel ion heating does not occur. Test particle simulation is also carried out in order to investigate the non-resonant perpendicular heating process.

The diffusion of electrons via a linearly polarized, growing electromagnetic (EM) wave propagating along a uniform magnetic field is investigated. The diffusion of electrons that interact with the growing EM wave is investigated through the autocorrelation function of the parallel electron acceleration in several tens of electron gyration timescales, which is a relatively short time compared with the bounce time of electrons between two mirror points in Earth's radiation belts. Furthermore, the pitch-angle diffusion coefficient is derived for the resonant and non-resonant electrons, and the effect of the wave growth on the electron diffusion is discussed. The results can be applied to other problems related to local acceleration or the heating of electrons in space plasmas, such as in the radiation belts.